A few words, photos, random thoughts shared with my family and friends. If anything you see here makes you laugh or touches you in some way, please leave a comment or send me an email so I know you are out there.

And climb the stairs to the beach...

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Kathy has posted some pictures from our blessing ceremony on August 12 on her blog at www.nutsaboutquilting.blogspot.com so please copy and paste in your browser, or click on the link to Kathy's blog over on the right side of my blog to see those pix. Unfortunately, we have no other pictures of the ceremony, so if there is anyone else who did get some, we'd love it if you could share them with us.

We placed cameras on the tables at the reception and asked people to take pictures for us. I had them developed yesterday and some are very good, but they didn't do the flowers justice. They were outstanding!I haven't had time to get all the pictures ready to publish but I will do that soon.However, many of the pictures were taken by Arabella and as you can see here, she is quite the photographer. Here is a picture of "Rascal" who was once known as "Big Baby". You can almost make out one of the 15 centerpieces my friend Lou made for us.

Here is the smaller of the two large arrangements that Lou made. I wish I had a picture of each arrangement or even just one good one that did them justice. Blue hydrangea in all shades, amazing giant red dahlias, roses in amazing pinks and pale yellow, blue delphinium and on and on. I just can't say enough about them.

Ed and I wrote a little skit showing our southern family how to talk like someone from Boston and helping the Bostonians learn some of the colorful southern expressions. Steve, Ed, John and my friend Peaches were the stars! It was wicked good, y'all.

Someone shot a picture of all three grandkids. Zeppelin, who made a nice speech for us, Arabella, shutterbug, and Indigo. Better pictures of Indigo will follow. I thought this one was cute. A 1 year old learning to walk, she struck this pose quite often!

Family and a few friends came back to the house afterwards. I loved the bonding of my family from the north with my family from the south. It was heartwarming to both Ed and I.

Ed and I wanted to thank everyone for helping us celebrate and bless our marriage, our family and our friends. It was a fabulous day for us. There were so many things that made it special for us. The music was so beautiful, the flowers exquisite, the weather was superb and the family and friends made it perfect! My special thanks to the Conor family, Lynne, Emily, George and my pal Melonhead (Melinda). They helped with so much, including setting up, clearing away and lots in between. George video taped our ceremony for us. The girls were willing to do everything and anything to help. Melinda was my support for months leading up to the event as well as during and after on that day. They even had us over for pizza after setting up the night before. Emily and Lynne called it our "rehearsal dinner" even though there wasn't any rehearsal. Ed and I were so grateful to spend the night just kicking back, relaxed and enjoying their company and their hospitality. What wonderful friends they are.

More later about so many others who are dear to us, some who travelled from far away to be with us. But for now, those of you who were there will remember that we had three poems as part of our ceremony. Ed chose First Love by John Clare. And I think he did such a beautiful job of reading it. Our minister read the second poem, which I chose, called At Last by Elizabeth Akers Allen. This poem touched me so deeply the first time I read it. And I actually gathered the courage to read a poem I had written for Ed as his wedding present, that tells our story of young love rekindled after years have gone by. I had a few requests for copies of these poems and thought I would post them here.

First Love, by John Clare

I ne'er was struck before that hourWith love so sudden and so sweet,Her face it bloomed like a sweet flowerAnd stole my heart away complete.My face turned pale as deadly pale.My legs refused to walk away,And when she looked, what could I ail?My life and all seemed turned to clay.

And then my blood rushed to my faceAnd took my eyesight quite away,The trees and bushes round the placeSeemed midnight at noonday.I could not see a single thing,Words from my eyes did start --They spoke as chords do from the string,And blood burnt round my heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice?Is love's bed always snow?She seemed to hear my silent voice,Not love's appeals to know.I never saw so sweet a faceAs that I stood before.My heart has left its dwelling-placeAnd can return no more

At Last by Elizabeth Akers Allen

At last, when all the summer shineThat warmed life's early hours is past,Your loving fingers seek for mineAnd hold them close at last at last!Not oft the robin comes to buildIts nest upon the leafless boughBy autumn robbed, by winter chilled,But you, dear heart, you love me now.

Though there are shadows on my browAnd furrows on my cheek, in truth,The marks where Time's remorseless ploughBroke up the blooming sward of Youth,Though fled is every girlish graceMight win or hold a lover's vow,Despite my sad and faded face,And darkened heart, you love me now!

I count no more my wasted tears;They left no echo of their fall;I mourn no more my lonesome years;This blessed hour atones for all.I fear not all that Time or FateMay bring to burden heart or brow,Strong in the love that came so late,Our souls shall keep it always now!

And There Came a Day, by Suzanne Hall Eaton

And there came a day when he dared to speakAnd risk the safety of his boyish way.And their two hands did each other seek,Two youthful lovers on a summer day.

And there came a day when they dared to dreamAnd risk the safety of what was true.And the life they planned did likely seemA forever after life for two.

And there came a day when they dared to knowAnd risk the safety of a childlike heart.And hearing’ youthful love can’t grow’They believed it true and grew apart.

And there came a day when she dared to leaveAnd risk the safety of his tender glance.And on that sweet warm summer’s eveThey one last time embraced to dance.

And there came a day when they dared set outAnd risk the safety of their youthful daysAnd learned what life was all about,Two winding paths, two different ways.

And there came a day when he dared to callAnd risk the safety of silent years.And as timeless walls began to fallHe faced his lady and his fears.

And there came a day when she dared replyAnd risked the safety of worlds apart.And with truths revealed in a whispered sighShe knew his soul and loved his heart.

And there came a day when they dared to meetAnd risk the safety of imagined days.And as first-light fell that morning sweet,They held each other beneath God’s gaze.

And there came a day when he took her handAnd they risked the safety of a single life,And exchanged the vows in childhood planned:He, her husband and she, his wife.

And there came a day when their eyes were clearAnd they risked the safety of love’s blind sight.And, still dancing, held each other near,Two youthful lovers on a summer night.

I will post more pictures just as soon as I get the chance to go through and edit them. In the meantime, please go to Kathy's blog at www.nutsaboutquilting.blogspot.com to see pix of the ceremony. Have a great day!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Tomorrow is my last day as a Town of Sudbury employee. It has been 16 years of truly interesting and rewarding work. I have had my frustrations but mostly I feel satisfied with what I have accomplished in these years, especially the last 10 as Town Accountant. The last two years as Finance Director have been very rewarding...demanding and difficult at times, but the payoff has been great. We had a nearly squeeky clean audit and that is a first.

The people I work with are such hard working and dedicated employees, but also have become my friends. I will miss them. They are having a retirement party for me tomorrow night and I am grateful that I will have an opportunity to thank them all. I have heard through the grapevine there are going to be some finance people friends of mine from other towns, our outside auditors, some retirees I worked with in the past and even some Department of Revenue people in attendance. It will be fun to see who shows up. I hope I don't say something silly. We all want our parting words to be profound and memorable but I just hope I can leave them laughing. Or crying. I keep reminding my DPW Director this is a retirement party and not a roast! We'll see. It has been a great time. But now, on to my new life with Ed.

My Town Manager writes in her newsletter this week:

"Goodbye and Happy RetirementThis is the last week of work for Sue Petersen, our fabulous Finance Director/TownAccountant, who has chosen to retire and live a life of ease rather than continuing to work long hours, attend night meetings and listen to the rest of uscomplain. I can’t imagine what she is thinking!Be sure to let Sue know how much you appreciate her many years ofservice to the Town and how hard she has worked to insure that the highgoals the Town’s great financial management team set for themselves have all beenachieved, and how much we will miss her!"

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Did you remember your rabbits today? I hope so! I want you all to have good luck all month long!

I am still getting feedback on the posting about the crescent wrench. My childhood friend Cheryl Hunter from Eugene, OR writes:

But the real question is not about wrenches but is about what you callthese brand names that have become generic names, i.e., Kleenex, Xerox(for copy), Tylenol, etc. Someone once told me the term that refers tosuch brand-to-generic names but I've lost it a long time ago, andoften thought what a great piece of trivia if I remembered. Want toput that out as a question? CherylI tried to find the term Cheryl was referring to and the only thing I could find was "genericize". I did find the following information on these kinds of words and a lengthy list:

The following list comprises those names which were originally created and used as trademarks, but which have subsequently become entirely synonymous with the common name of the product or service. If any of the original registrations for the trademarks appearing in this list remain in force, it is unlikely that the registered owners would be able to successfully enforce their exclusive rights against third parties.

Allen wrench (or Allen key) - hexagonalscrewdriver (A rarity among generic words, 'Allen wrench' is no longer trademarked, but is still capitalized because it is named after a company)

aspirin - ASA (acetylsalicylic acid; remains as a registered trademark in many places around the world in the name of Bayer, but not in the United States)

webster's dictionary - the publishers with the strongest link to the original are Merriam-Webster, but they have a trademark only on "Merriam-Webster", and other dictionaries are legally published as "Webster's Dictionary" [5][6]

Some common names for products or services are popularly believed to be genericized trademarks, however this in not the case as the names were never originally created or used as trademarks. Some examples are listed below.